Pump container



Oct. 30, 1951 T. w. WINSTEAD PUMP CONTAINER 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed March 25, 1946 INVENTOR. THOMAS w. WINSTE-Ao hmm ATTORNEY Oct. 30, 1951 T. w. WINSTEAD. 2,573,375

PUMP CONTAINER Filed March 25, 194e 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 l l INVENTOR. y THOMAS W.' WINSTEAD 1 'BY 5 I iik atented ct. 30, 1951 UNITED orrice PUMP GONTANER Thomas W. Winstead, Baltimore, Md.

Application March 25, 1946, 'serial No. 656,948

(ol. 23o-32) 3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a pump container adapted for carrying and inilating articles such as bathing oats, air mattresses, and similar articles.

When articles of any considerable size of the inflatable type, such as bathing floats, are manufactiired it is particularly necessary to have a separate pump arrangement to inate the articles. They are too large to comfortably innate by means of the mouth, and the use of containers of compressed gas is not desirable. Where reference is made herein to bathing floats it is to be understood that the inventions are applicable to -air mattresses, and in fact to all articles of the general class which includes these two specifically named articles.

It is to meet the need, of transporting and inflating articles. such as bathing oa'ts, 'that this pump container has beenv designed. -It is to be noted that the inside of the compartment in which the article to'be inflated is carried is unob` structed. The construction is simple,- compact and useful.

The article in general comprises two telescopic members, which may be of cylindrical cross section, which are unobstructed in their interior, and within which the article to be carried such as a bathing float is carried. One end of one of the telescopic members carries a check valve, and the other end of the other telescopic member is provided with means to permit it to be attached to the intake valve of the article to be inated.

With these and other objects in View, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and `combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary ele-- ments comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope 'of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical eiect without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions, which, for the purpose of explanation have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings: y

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my pump container with parts cut away to show how the article to be inflated is carried within the interior of the container.

Figure 2 is a perspective View showing the telescopic parts separately illustrated with the article 2 to be Ainflated in one of the telescopic/members.

Figure 3 isa `perspe'zctive view showing the tele*- soo'pic parts separately illustrated with the ar'- ticle to be inflated in one of the telescopic members.,

Figure 3 is a ,perspective View showing the bath-A ing lloat in the process of being inflated 'and illustrating the operation of the pump container asa pump.

Figure 4 is a View inside elevation of the pump-container.

Figure -5 is a view taken along the line 5 5 of Figure l looking in the direction of `the arrows.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken along the line 'F5-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line Y'l-'l of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a View in side elevation of a modified form of vmy pump container.

VYFigure 9 is a View taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8 looking in the direction of the arrows.

yFigure 10 is ra sectional View taken along the Ime i'-IB of Figure 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.,

Figure 11 is -a sectional View taken along the line ll-H of Figure 9 looking in the direction or the arrows.

`My pump container comprises an elongated cylindrical container l formed of two telescopic members 2 'and 3 which maybe formed of spirally wound paper or any other desirable construction. The member 2 is adapted to fit over tlie member 3. The member 3 has a stop collar 4 formed thereon which limits the 'sliding movement of thev member 3 and also acts as a reinforcement for the endr of the telescopic member 3.

' The telescopic member 2 has a metallic cap 5 seamed to the tube 2. The cap 5 is provided with an aperture 6 which is struck out of the blank of the cap yand which is provided with an inwardly projecting lip l. Over the lip l iS adapted to be stretched an elastic strip which may be of a vinyl ester, or some other elastic material 8. This strip can be seamed to the tube in an assembly operation. The construction here just described forms a check valve. The flexible strip 8 contacts inwardly projecting lip 1 of the aperture 6 and makes a reasonably air-tight lit at the contact point of the annular projecting lip with the nexible strip 8 thus insuring a minimum of escape of air at this intake valve after the telescopic members have been caused to telescope one within the other to compress the air within the unobstructed interior 9 of the container I This unobstructed interior permits the article, such as a bathing float, to be rolled and carried easily without danger of injury in a compact roll within the container I.

The telescopic member 3, as has been described, is provided with an annular stop vcollar 4 which acts as a reinforcing member. This annular Stop collar 4 limits the telescopic movement of members 2 and 3 in the compressing cycle of the pump container.

The telescopic member 3 has seamed into one of its ends a cap II which may be of metal or any other suitable material. This cap I I is provided with an aperture I2 which is formed With an inwardly projecting lip I3 similar in construction to inwardly projecting lip at the aperture 6 of the end cap 5 of the telescopic member 2.

This aperture I2 is adapted to fit over a valve I4 (see Figure 3) formed in a float I5 which is carried in the interior of the telescopic container but which is shown in Figure 3 removed from the container and being inflated. The valve I4 is a one Way valve and is the intake valve for the float I5.

In operation the float I5 or other article to be inflated is removed from the cylindrical container I. The aperture I|2 with its lip I3 acting as a guide is fitted over the intake valve I4 of the article I5. The telescopic members are given relative movement back and forth. The air is sucked into the interior 9 of the cylindrical container I through the check valve mechanism just described and is discharged through the aperture I2 through the valve I4 into the float I5 or other article to be inflated.

In Figures 8 and 9 a modification is shown in which the stop collar 4 has been eliminated. This decreases the weight of the container and simplies the construction. The telescopic member 3 then contacts the cap 5 of the telescopic member 2 which limits its movement. There is no stop collar to assist in limiting this movement as in other forms shown, and the construction is somewhat more fragile than the form illustrated in Figures 1 to '7 inclusive. However, Weight is saved and manufacturing costs are reduced, and under certain conditions this is desirable.

Because the interior of the pump container is substantially unobstructed the pump container can be packed and unpacked without danger of injury to the article carried. Moreover, because the construction is simple and positive in operation there is small danger of rendering the pump container inoperative in its function of inflating the article which is adapted to becarried and inflated by the construction just described. The simple and sturdy construction at the openings provided in the ends insures the check valve construction which is positive in operation with small leakage of air by reason of the limited contact area between the inwardly projecting lip at the aperture and the flexible strip stretched across the lip. Moreover the inwardly projecting lip at the other end acts as a guide to enable the aperture in that end to be fitted readily over the intake valve of the article to be inflated.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I Wish it to be understood that I do not conine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A container and pump element comprising a pair of telescopic parts having a close sliding fit and forming a closed compartment, the inner wall of the inner part forming an unobstructed surface from one end to the other of the parts when in completely telescoped position, an air intake valve mounted on one of said parts, an inatable article in said compartment including a valve secured thereto, and an air outlet port complementary to said article valve formed in the other of said parts whereby relative motion between said telescoping parts will inflate the article when said article valve and said port are in complementing relationship.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 in which the inner of said parts is longer than the outer part to project substantially therefrom in fully telescoped condition of the parts to provide hand holds on the two parts for the said telescoping pumping movement.

3. A device as recited in claim 2 in which the outside dimensions.of the projected end of the inner part are enlarged to equal the outside dimensions of the outer part to provide a collar to limit the inward telescoped position of the inner part in the outer part and provide a smooth outer surface for the device when the two parts are in fully telescoped condition.

THOMAS W. WINSTEAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 608,148 Brooks July 26, 1898 793,983 Bowen July 4, 1905 1,181,592 Hart et al May 2, 1916 1,412,279 Eslinger Apr. 11, 1922 1,416,445 Burd et al May 16, 1922 1,526,309 Hof Feb. 10, 1925 

